Radio aggregation

Abstract

A technique comprising: transmitting one or more radio signals comprising information for use by a communication device camped in idle mode on a first node operating according to a first radio access technology or connected to said first node, which information comprises information facilitating the prioritisation at the communication device of initiating an association with a node operating according to a second radio access technology and having a capability of functioning as a slave node in a radio aggregation technique involving said first node as a master node, over initiating an association with a node operating to said second radio access technology without said aggregation capability.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving, at a communication device, information from a base station operating according to a first radio access technology, wherein said information indicates a first set of one or more conditions for evaluating initiation of an association with a first node operating according to a second radio access technology and having a capability of functioning as a slave node in a radio aggregation technique operating under the radio resource control of the base station involving the base station as a master node, and a second set of one or more conditions for evaluating initiation of an association with a second node operating according to said second radio access technology without said aggregation capability; 
 determining based at least partly on the received information, at the communication device camped in idle mode on the base station or already connected to the base station, to initiate a new connection with the base station and/or to initiate the association with the first node in the radio aggregation technique or to initiate the association with the second node without the aggregation capability; and 
 initiating the new connection with the base station and/or the association with the first or the second node based on the determination. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the received information further indicates which nodes operating according to a second radio access technology in an area served by said first node have a capability of functioning as a slave node using the radio aggregation technique involving the base station as a master node. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising: determining whether radio signals detected at the communication device identify one or more second radio access technology nodes identified in said information. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, based at least partly on radio signals detected at the communication device, whether the first node meets said first set of conditions; and 
 in the event of a positive determination, initiating the association with the first node that meets said first set of conditions. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in the event of detecting no second radio access technology node that meets said first set of conditions, determining, based at least partly on radio signals detected at the communication device, whether the second node meets said second set of conditions; and 
 in the event of a positive determination, initiating the association with the second node that meets said second set of conditions. 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in the event of a determination that no detected second radio access technology node meets said second set of conditions, initiating the new connection with the base station. 
 
     
     
       7. An apparatus comprising: a processor and memory including computer program code, wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 receive information from a base station operating according to a first radio access technology, wherein said information indicates a first set of one or more conditions for evaluating initiation of an association with a first node operating according to a second radio access technology and having a capability of functioning as a slave node in a radio aggregation technique operating under the radio resource control of the base station involving the base station as a master node, and a second set of one or more conditions for evaluating initiation of an association with a second node operating according to said second radio access technology without said aggregation capability; 
 determine based at least partly on the received information, at the apparatus camped in idle mode on the base station or already connected to the base station, to initiate a new connection with the base station and/or to initiate the association with the first node in the radio aggregation technique or to initiate the association with the second node without the aggregation capability; and 
 initiate the new connection with the base station and/or the association with the first or the second node based on the determination. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said information further indicates which nodes operating according to a second radio access technology in an area served by the base station have a capability of functioning as a slave node using the radio aggregation technique involving the base station as a master node. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 determine whether radio signals detected at the apparatus identify one or more second radio access technology nodes identified in said information. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 determine, based at least partly on radio signals detected at the apparatus, whether the first node meets said first set of conditions; and 
 in the event of a positive determination, initiate the association with the first node that meets said first set of conditions. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 perform measurements of radio signals transmitted by nodes according to the second radio access technology. 
 
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 in the event of detecting no second radio access technology node that meets said first set of conditions, determine, based at least partly on radio signals detected at the apparatus, whether the second node meets said second set of conditions; and 
 in the event of a positive determination, initiate the association with the second node. 
 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 in the event of a determination that no detected second radio access technology node meets said second set of conditions, initiate the new connection with the base station. 
 
     
     
       14. An apparatus comprising: a processor and memory including computer program code, wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 receive information from a base station operating according to a first radio access technology, wherein said information indicates a first set of one or more conditions for evaluating initiation of an association with a first node operating according to a second radio access technology and having a capability of functioning as a slave node in a radio aggregation technique operating under the radio resource control of the base station involving the base station as a master node, and a second set of one or more conditions for evaluating initiation of an association with a second node operating according to said second radio access technology without said aggregation capability; 
 determine based at least partly on the received information, at the apparatus camped in idle mode on the base station or already connected to the base station, whether to prioritize initiating the association with the first node in the radio aggregation technique over initiating the association with the second node without the aggregation capability; 
 select a second radio access technology node with which to initiate an association based on the determination; and 
 initiate the association with the selected second radio access technology node. 
 
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said information further indicates which nodes operating according to a second radio access technology in an area served by the base station have a capability of functioning as a slave node using the radio aggregation technique involving the base station as a master node. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 determine whether radio signals detected at the apparatus identify one or more second radio access technology nodes identified in said information. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 determine, based at least partly on radio signals detected at the apparatus, whether the first node meets said first set of conditions; and 
 in the event of a positive determination, initiate the association with the first node that meets said first set of conditions. 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 perform measurements of radio signals transmitted by nodes according to the second radio access technology. 
 
     
     
       19. An apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 in the event of detecting no second radio access technology node that meets said first set of conditions, determine, based at least partly on radio signals detected at the apparatus, whether the second node meets said second set of conditions; and 
 in the event of a positive determination, initiate an association with the second node. 
 
     
     
       20. An apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 in the event of a determination that no detected second radio access technology node meets said second set of conditions, initiate a new connection with the base station.